Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/take-a-walk-with-me-a-journey-of-positive-change/5020276/
When Exchange magazine selected Jewel’s Learning Center in Houston to be the recipient of the Exchange Center Makeover, a journey of change and discovery began. With the help of many collaborative partners, Jewel’s director Charlotte Watts and her family were able to bring new indoor and outdoor spaces to children and teachers affected by Hurricane Ike. Since that time, Charlotte has been on a journey of professional growth and personal engagement as she strives to use the thoughtfully designed spaces to their fullest potential.In April 2011, I was invited to walk along with Charlotte for a few months as we worked together to bring professional growth workshops to her staff and others in the Houston area. During our time together we discussed ideas and insights that may be helpful to other people working to bring positive changes to their early childhood programs. Following are a few principles that seemed important to the Jewel community.
Find Support Through Professional Collaborations
Charlotte told me how much she valued the professional relationships that were developed through the makeover experience. As she worked in collaboration with other organizations sponsoring the center makeover project that valued her as a co-leader in the decision-making process, Charlotte ...